Chapter 942: Breaking the Void Technique

Flight was restricted, they couldn't burrow underground, mixed trees grew thickly in the forest, mist swirled, and with the space constantly twisting and compressing, the magnetic field was chaotic, making it easy to lose direction.

Ao Jing suddenly grabbed Shan Shan, who was running, and held his breath while observing something.

Shan Shan anxiously asked, "Jing Ge, what's wrong?"

"We can't get out." Ao Jing said, "The space's Qìchǎng is changing; the passage we first entered will also shift. Even if we now make it through this forest, the far end may not be the original exit."

Shan Shan's heart jolted; she looked around and then said, "Since this space is doomed to be destroyed, let me add another flame to it."

Saying that, Shan Shan unleashed a clump of Nirvana fire.

This is the Spirit Mirror Space; all living things inside depend on the space for existence, and once the space ceases to be, everything within will turn to nothing.

So at this point there's nothing to regret—burn it! Burn a clear view, and only then will they have a chance to escape.

But an accident happened quietly.

The Nirvana fire shot out, and the moment it touched the mist in midair, it ignited.

The endless mist spread like a prairie fire in all directions at great speed—trees and flowers suffered no damage, but the mist within the forest vanished.

That clump of Nirvana fire spread out completely, and the surroundings fell eerily silent.

The birds, beasts, and insects that had been restless due to the space's distortion, as if struck by some terrifying force, instantly hid, silent as cicadas in winter.

Ao Jing and Shan Shan exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of disbelief in the other's eyes.

Just then, the surrounding temperature suddenly spiked again.

The Nirvana fire that had just leapt outward, for some unknown reason, turned and surged back toward the center.

And in the middle… stood Ao Jing and Shan Shan.

Flames surrounded them, placing them right at the heart of the fire sea.

Shan Shan immediately formed seals and chanted, trying to recall the Nirvana fire.

The Nirvana fire was hers to begin with; even after expanding countlessfold, it should not be too hard for her to retract it.

But when Shan Shan sealed her hands to draw it back, she felt another powerful force from outside restraining it.

That force felt just like the one she had sensed down in the cave!

At bottom, that force shares the same source as Shan Shan.

Shan Shan can control the Nirvana fire, and so can the other side.

Shan Shan is still young; though her talent is extraordinary, facing this immense power from the ancient Feng Clan, she is ultimately a bit inferior.

Moreover, their abilities are still restricted.

Seeing the surrounding Nirvana fire about to coalesce into a flaming ring that would surge upward, Shan Shan instantly transformed into a phoenix, spread her wings, and completely wrapped Ao Jing beneath her feathers.

In the next instant, Ao Jing felt a violent tremor coming from outside.

That was the impact force from the Nirvana fire ring.

Shan Shan fears no Nirvana fire; at the critical moment she used her own body to block the ring, shielding Ao Jing.

Ao Jing understood that while the Nirvana fire couldn't burn Shan Shan, such a tremendous impact would surely inflict internal injury on her.

Before the two could recover, Shan Shan was struck again.

Ao Jing heard Shan Shan's pained groan, his heart feeling as if cut by a knife.

All her life, with him by her side, when had she ever suffered such a loss?

Ao Jing said, "Shan Shan, let me out."

But Shan Shan firmly replied, "No, Jing Ge, I can hold out; you can't show yourself, or you'll be burned to death."

"I have a way to break out." Ao Jing said, "Shan Shan, trust me, first release me."

Shan Shan hesitated.

Ao Jing assured her repeatedly: "Shan Shan, don't forget—I have a special ability; after years of practice it's just beginning to work. Let me try it."

Mentioning Ao Jing's special ability, few outsiders know it; it's his trump card, not yet fully perfected, and those in the Linghai Dragon Clan who are in the know keep it sealed.

Of course, with Shan Shan, Ao Jing has few secrets.

Shan Shan hesitated a moment, then decided to give Ao Jing a chance.

After all, constantly shielding him under her wings isn't a solution; she will eventually exhaust her strength and collapse.

But she didn't immediately let go of Ao Jing; instead, she endured the third impact of the fire ring.

Between each impact of the fire ring there is a certain interval, enough time for Ao Jing to unleash his special ability once.

If he fails, Shan Shan still has a chance to shield him again.

After the third impact, Shan Shan retracted her wings and returned to human form.

Ao Jing immediately wrapped an arm around Shan Shan's waist; with his other hand he traced a sigil in the air, chanting, then shouted the word "Break!" and struck his palm toward the rune.

In the next instant, the sigil exploded, and before them a crack appeared.

The crack was like a long slit torn in the air, or like opening a door to another space.

Shan Shan could feel a steady stream of Dragon Qi pouring from the crack.

This is the special ability Ao Jing was born with: Breaking the Void Technique.

Breaking the Void Technique is a dragon-exclusive art, yet not every dragon can cultivate it; it requires an extremely rare innate condition: being born with nine toes.

Normally, a dragon's claw has no more than five toes.

According to records, three, four, five toes, and even none, are all normal.

Those born with nine toes do not have them all side by side; instead, beyond the normal five toes, four extra toes grow on the inner side of the wrist.

These four toes are slender and long, extremely sharp; they can retract into the flesh of the wrist, normally invisible, but when cultivating Breaking the Void Technique, they play a crucial role.

When Ao Jing had just hatched, Xiaoye discovered this secret, was overjoyed but dared not speak of it; he furtively consulted ancient texts, then looked through the clan genealogy in the ancestral hall, and only after confirming it did he dare reveal it to the clan's elders, guardians, and seniors.

Moreover, since those capable of cultivating Breaking the Void Technique are exceedingly rare, no one guided Ao Jing; it was not until he turned ten, after his foundation had been laid solidly, that the clan elders together with Xiaoye, drawing on predecessors' cultivation experience, began to help him explore the technique.

But soon, the clan elders and Xiaoye found that even with the Breaking the Void Technique's ancient manual and predecessors' annotated experience before them, their research grew increasingly difficult.

It might be due to talent, but instead Ao Jing grew clearer and clearer with practice, gradually realizing he was progressing faster than the clan elders and Xiaoye.

From that point on, the clan elders and Xiaoye completely let go, letting Ao Jing cultivate the Void-breaking Technique on his own; to this day, even Xiaoye doesn't know what level he has reached.

Ao Jing also had no confidence, after all he had only practiced the Void-breaking Technique for a short time; his theoretical knowledge was sufficient, but practical opportunities were few, and controlling the Void-breaking Technique requires a great deal of inner strength—within the Spirit Mirror Space, their Xiūwéi is itself a limited state.

What's more, he also has to bring another person, doubling the difficulty.

Fortunately, he successfully broke open the space, and without hesitation brought Shan Shan diving into the rift……